President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to remain a “steadfast partner” of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month.

Defying pressure from U.S. lawmakers to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the kingdom, saying such a “foolish” move would only benefit Russia and China.

Trump said U.S. intelligence agencies were still studying the evidence around Khashoggi’s murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and who planned it.

“Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!” Trump said in a statement issued by the White House,

U.S. intelligence sources say the CIA’s assessment is that Khashoggi’s death was ordered by the crown prince, who is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and is widely known by his initials MbS.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers have urged Trump to drop his support for MbS, but the president has been reluctant.

He said on Tuesday that both Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and MbS “vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder,” and that the truth may never be known.

He also stressed that Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, is an important business partner and a “great ally” in the fight against Iranian power in the Middle East.

“The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region,” Trump said.

What a drymounting joke. They were always there, perhaps less visible to some, but this administration really shows to the world what the double standards are all about. I don't think I can even express how drymounting ridiculous this is.

President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to remain a “steadfast partner” of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month.

Defying pressure from U.S. lawmakers to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the kingdom, saying such a “foolish” move would only benefit Russia and China.

Trump said U.S. intelligence agencies were still studying the evidence around Khashoggi’s murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and who planned it.

“Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!” Trump said in a statement issued by the White House,

U.S. intelligence sources say the CIA’s assessment is that Khashoggi’s death was ordered by the crown prince, who is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and is widely known by his initials MbS.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers have urged Trump to drop his support for MbS, but the president has been reluctant.

He said on Tuesday that both Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and MbS “vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder,” and that the truth may never be known.

He also stressed that Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, is an important business partner and a “great ally” in the fight against Iranian power in the Middle East.

“The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region,” Trump said.

What a drymounting joke. They were always there, perhaps less visible to some, but this administration really shows to the world what the double standards are all about. I don't think I can even express how drymounting obscene this is.

Fixed.

Khashoggi's dismemberment has been given a pass by the "Administration". Think about that for a moment....

America hasn't had a moral compass for decades. This is but one more example. The US helping cover up the cover up. All class again from the boys in Washington.

However, the bigger issue – one that Trump may not yet be ready to admit – is that his Mid-East strategy is in deep trouble, even if MbS does manage to survive as heir-apparent, as seems likely, given Trump’s strong attachment. The complication does not derive from the gruesome Khashoggi murder alone – it is now much wider than that. The significance of the Khashoggi affair, as it were, is that it has slid open a Pandora’s box of ugly goings-on. What is emerging from the Gulf is that the Khashoggi assassination is neither isolated, nor out of the ordinary in the Gulf today: Buzzfeed News reported that UAE leaders had set up, and tasked, a foreign military mercenary unit for the explicit task of serial assassinations of Muslim Brotherhood leaders (Al-Islah), in Yemen (whilst Saudi Arabia was at the same time, quietly facilitating al-Qa’eda forces in Yemen, fighting against Houthi insurgents). More recently, the NY Times has disclosed an attempt by a senior Saudi official to close a $2 billion contract with US interests – again for serial assassinations – but this time, of Iranian leaders. It is, to put it bluntly, more redolent of the Saddam Hussein era, to read these reports; and those of Princes ‘disappeared’ from Switzerland and Paris; of a Prime Minister hijacked; and of dissenters and senior princes incarcerated at whim.

A few highlights from the article: items found in Saudi school textbooks

Among the goals of Zionism is a “global Jewish government to control the entire world," one excerpt states.

Another example reads: “The hour will not come until Muslims fight the Jews, so that the Muslims kill them, until the Jew hides behind rock and tree, so the rock or the tree says: ‘Oh Muslim, oh servant of God, this Jew is behind me, so kill him.’”

A third passage suggests that “beating [women] is permitted when necessary.”

One can only speculate as to why Trump is so willing to sweep the Saudi-sanctioned killing of a U.S. permanent legal resident under the rug.

But this may be the kind of issue where Congress can cobble a veto proof majority to put sanctions on the Saudi's over Trump's (nonsensical) objection.

I know from living in the USvs.getting sucked down the anti-american conspiratorial wormhole while online 24/7 that yeah, fudge has gotten a lot worse on this side of the pond under the Trump Admin. But, please, crawl out of that petri dish you call a home and wax poetic on more bullchit that no one believes nor reads. That. Would. Be. Neat.